Make Use of Down Time

DOWN Time

Here is a dilemma: You don't have large enough blocks of time to focus on your big projects. Everything is chopped up with what we have called?cracks?in time available. The cracks seem to small to allow accomplishments. On the other hand, you work so hard that when you get the big blocks, you are weary and wasteful with that time. Your body doesn't want to do what is necessary for you to dig in.

What will you do?

Well, there is down time and then, there is down time.

True down time is a good thing, is to be celebrated, and is to be sanctified. It is Sabbath and we all need it.

Remember it and keep it holy. That means separate and unique and uncluttered with worry and self-flagellation over how you ought to be using it to catch up. You ARE using it to catch up. Your body is replenishing its resources and your total being is?renewing?itself for future full engagement.

The other sort of down time is all in your head. It is not down time at all and needs to be redefined - I do that by spelling things out.

D = Decide that you can use the time fruitfully and be ready to do so.

If I seem redundant it is because I still don't have this attitude perfected in me. I need to decide and re-decide and maybe you do too. Prepare for the times when all you have is ten or fifteen minutes. So many of the jobs I procrastinate for months take less time than that.

O?=?Obligate yourself to use every moment that is not genuine rest and reflection to some productive end.

Rest and reflection are also productive, so don't count them out if that is what is called for in the moment. Make a commitment to live every second of your life with purpose.

W = Walk in Wonder.

It may well be that the next thought you need to think will arise from something you see or hear if you will stop to look and listen. Don't pass up the opportunities for "aha" moments because you are in such a hurry to get to the next thing.

N =?Negotiate and renegotiate with time.

It is not your adversary but you can enrage it and yourself by not honoring it with some attention and respect. Time can be arranged and rearranged, but it will always be a factor.

That spells "down" as in in down time, but it predicts that your down time will become UP time.

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15 MINUTES

IDENTIFY 4 AREAS OF LIFE WHERE YOU NEED WORK.

Take an hour a day in 4 - 15 minute slots to devote one of those slots to each of those areas.

It could be reading, exercise, family time, or anything not getting done - things most likely that need more than 15 minutes but areas where that would be a good start and a major improvement.

What difference could 15 minutes a day make in some area of your life?

This took less than 5 minutes.

I still have 10 to go.